Midlands Teen Killed in Boating Accident

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By
Rob Dew

Story Created:
Apr 17, 2014 at 5:49 PM EDT

Story Updated:
Apr 17, 2014 at 5:49 PM EDT

Ottawa Co., OH (WOLO/WTVG)-- A Pelion High School student has died while on a spring break trip in Ohio. The bodies of two girls were found today after a boat overturned in Lake Erie. The Ottawa County, Ohio Sheriff's Office tells us one of the victims was 17 year old Paige Widmer. Investigators say it's unclear at this time what caused the boat to sink. We will bring you more information on this story as it becomes available. The following story was posted by WOLO sister station WTVG in Toledo.------------------------------------------------------- The search continues by air and water for two boaters who are still missing in Lake Erie.The US Coast Guard found two women dead in the water Thursday.The search for two men who were with them is ongoing.The two women have been identified as Amy Santus, 33, from Perrysburg, and 16-year-old Paige Widmer.The group was on a fishing boat that never returned to shore Wednesday night.After daylight, rescuers found the group's 21-foot bass boat partially submerged five miles off shore in a well-known fishing spot called Toussaint Reef.The group is believed to have been made up of experienced boaters.The sheriff says the two women who were recovered were both found wearing life vests.The Coast Guard continues to search by boat and by helicopter for the two remaining missing boaters.Investigators say the search is the priority, not the investigation into what caused the boat to sink.The sheriff says it's unclear at this point when the boat started to submerge.He says the group sent pictures back to family members of them fishing.Those family members then called for help after they lost communication.We will bring you updates about the progress of the search as they become available.